UFC 328 Breakdown: How Strickland Reclaimed the Middleweight Belt and What Grapplers Can Learn From It

Reviewed by BJJ Gyms · Updated 2026-07-27

Round One: Chimaev's Wrestling Sets the Tone

Khamzat Chimaev entered UFC 328 with a reputation as the most physically overwhelming wrestler in the middleweight division, and round one did nothing to challenge that reputation. He landed two takedowns in the first three minutes, using a body-lock trip and a level-change double-leg that showed exactly how he imposes his will on opponents who are not prepared to move their feet and read the setup.

Strickland's takedown defense in round one was reactive rather than proactive. He was catching Chimaev's shots late and spending energy fighting up from the bottom rather than preventing the takedown from completing. On the ground, Chimaev was effective but not threatening with submissions. His goal was positional control and punishment, not a finish, which would turn out to matter as the fight progressed.

For anyone training at a BJJ gym, watching that first round closely is worth the time. Chimaev's entries are textbook high-level wrestling adapted for MMA: he sets up his shots with strikes, he changes levels unpredictably, and he never commits to a single entry pattern long enough for his opponent to anticipate it. His round-one control was a masterclass in how wrestling skill translates directly to MMA success.

The Turning Point: Strickland's Takedown Defense Tightens

The story of rounds two through five in the Chimaev-Strickland fight is the story of Strickland's defensive evolution over the course of a single evening. By the third round, his sprawl timing had improved noticeably. He was reading Chimaev's level changes earlier, shooting his hips back before Chimaev could secure the grip, and landing short uppercuts from the clinch to discourage Chimaev from tying up as aggressively.

Chimaev still threatened with his wrestling in the later rounds, but the attempts became less effective and more energy-expensive. When a wrestler cannot finish his takedowns, the energy cost of shooting repeatedly against a resisting opponent accumulates quickly. By round four, Chimaev was still dangerous but visibly working harder to produce the same result he had achieved more easily in round one.

Strickland's takedown defense in the championship rounds was not acrobatic or technically elaborate. It was built on footwork, constant pressure, and the kind of sprawl that looks simple until you are the one trying to finish the shot. That simplicity under pressure is exactly what high-volume BJJ and wrestling training is designed to produce. The technical baseline had been drilled so deep that it held even late in a grueling fight.

What BJJ Practitioners Can Take From This Fight

The main event of UFC 328 did not end with a submission, but it was full of grappling lessons that apply directly to anyone training on the mat. Chimaev's wrestling is the most visible element, but the more instructive sequence is how Strickland's framing and hip movement improved across the fight as he identified Chimaev's patterns. Adaptation within a live competitive context, reading what your opponent is going to do before they do it, is the central challenge of every grappling match.

The fight also illustrates a dimension of BJJ that is often underemphasized in gym training: energy management under constant pressure. Chimaev's wrestling is physically exhausting to deal with because it is both powerful and persistent. Strickland's ability to absorb that pressure without panicking, frame efficiently rather than muscling out of positions, and conserve energy for the moments that mattered most is a skill that translates directly to competitive BJJ and submission wrestling.

If you want to develop the kind of shot defense Strickland showed in the championship rounds, the path runs through repetitions on the mat. Sprawl defense, hip movement drills, and live wrestling against resisting partners are the training investments that build the physical memory needed to defend high-level shots when your body is tired and your mind is working hard on everything else at once. Finding a gym that incorporates real wrestling and takedown defense into its curriculum alongside traditional BJJ technique is the most direct way to build that foundation. If you are looking for a gym near you, our directory can help you find one.

5 Grappling Lessons From UFC 328's Main Event

Whether you train BJJ, submission wrestling, or MMA, this fight has takeaways that apply directly to your game.

1. Takedown defense gets better mid-fight if you stay calm: Strickland's sprawl timing improved dramatically from round one to round five. The lesson is that panic costs you more than the takedown. Staying composed and continuing to move your hips correctly is what allows your nervous system to calibrate to your opponent's timing.
2. Level changes beat telegraphed shots every time: Chimaev's most successful takedowns came when he disguised his level change with strikes. Straight double-legs from neutral, without setup, were easier for Strickland to defend. In BJJ and grappling, the same principle applies: entries that come from a position your opponent is already reacting to are far more effective than committed standalone shots.
3. Framing under pressure preserves energy: Strickland's frames in the clinch and on the ground were economical rather than explosive. He was not trying to muscle out of positions but to create space efficiently. That energy efficiency is what allowed him to maintain pressure in the later rounds when Chimaev was spending more to produce less.
4. Positional wrestling without submission threat is a limited weapon: Chimaev's game plan emphasized control and damage rather than submission attempts. Without the threat of a finish, Strickland was able to prioritize survival and counter-striking rather than defending a submission. Adding submission threats to a wrestling-heavy game forces opponents to divide their attention in ways that create more openings.
5. Volume drilling builds the defense that shows up under pressure: The takedown defense Strickland showed in rounds three through five was not improvised. It was built through training. High-repetition sprawl drills, live wrestling rounds, and positional sparring against strong wrestlers produce the kind of reflexive defense that holds up when the mind is occupied with a dozen other things at once.

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